This disclosure relates to pliers, and, more specifically, this disclosure relates to self-adjusting pliers.
Attempts have been made in the past to provide for rapid adjustment of pliers' jaw members. Such pliers have a pair of pivotal crossed handle members and a slidable jaw member. One handle includes a fixed jaw which cooperates with the slidable jaw member. A toothed pawl is disposed about the pivot and projects into a slot in one handle member for engaging a plurality of slot teeth disposed therein. The pawl is biased into engagement with the slot teeth by a spring supported on the pivot. In operation, the pliers are adjusted over a work piece and pressure applied on the handles to cause a camming surface on one handle to cam against the edge of the slidable jaw and force it up against the work piece. Such pliers found in the prior art, however, are cumbersome and difficult to use.